Internal combustion engine ignition



Sept. 19, 1 939. M. E. PETERS ET AL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE IGNITIONFiled sept. 22, 1936 2 sheets-sheet 1 FIG,2

IIIIII A ATTORNEY.

Sept. 19, 1939. M. F. PETERS ET AL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE IGNITION 2sheets-sheet 2 Filed Sept 22 INVENTOR. fz-mu f ,0f/'fw e #mw 510,15

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 19, 1939 `PMENT oFFlcE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINEIGNITION Peters, Beltsville, Md., and R. Harry Melville F.

Stone, Bound Brook,

flex Metal Hose Co., a corporation of New Jer- N. J., assignors to Tite-Application September 22, 1936, Serial No. 102,020 16 Claims. (Cl.1.'?,Ii148)` l This invention has special reference to the insulation,radio shielding and protection of the ignition conductors of internalcombustion engines, but is capable, especially as to some of itsfeatures, of a large number of widely different applications.

One objectvof the invention is to provide im-` proved radio shielded andinsulated ignition conductors for an internal combustion engine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electric conduit witha conductor therein, and spaced therefrom by solid. segmental,insulating means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a conduit and aconductor therein having a plastic insulating and dielectric compoundwithin the conduit and about the conductor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible conduithaving a conductor therein with solid, segmental, insulating meansspacing the conductor from the conduit and a plastic insulating anddielectric compound within said conduit and about said conductor andinsulating means. l

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved new anduseful composition of'matter. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a plastic insulating anddielectric compound.

Otherand ancillary objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying the invention;

Fig. l is a side elevation of an ignition manifold; v

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. l to the same scale as Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a section, with the parts partly broken away, on the line 4--4of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a section, with the parts partly broken away, on the line 5--5of Fig. 1 on the same scale as Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section, with the parts partly broken away, on the line 6-6of Fig. 1 on the same scale as Fig. 4; v

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of an end of the manifold broken away toshow in section the construction thereof;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view, on the same scale as Fig. 7, of the end towhich the ignition leadis secured, of a tube extending from the end ofthe manifold.

drawings which illustrate Fig. 9 is a view, partly broken away andpartly in section, to the same scale as Figs. '7 and 8, of a spark pluglead;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary ing a modiiied form of segmental insulating andsupporting means for the conductor in the conduit and Figs. 11, 12, and13 are cross sectional views of the manifold showing modied forms ofthe-solid insulating support for the conductors.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 9 of the drawings, the apparatus there shown isintended for use with an ignition system for internal combustion engineswherein leads extend from the spark plugs to a so-called manifoldwhereby the ignition conductors are guided about the shaft of the engineand conductors lead from the manifold to a magneto whereby theelectricity for the ignition is conducted from the magneto to thevarious spark plugs through timing and distributing devices as are wellunderstood in connection with internal combustion engine ignition.

The leads are further provided with metal covering which operates as ashield to prevent interference by the ignition current with radioapparatus in the neighborhood especially when the engine and radioapparatus are mounted in such close proximity as is necessary with thelimited space available in an aeroplane.

In the structure of Figs. l to 9, inclusive, the manifold comprises ametal casing I, having the inlet 2 for the conductors from the magnetoand outlets 3, 4, 5, 6 and 1 for the conductors leading to the spark`plugs. At other points than the inletand outlets the manifold casing isrectangular with rounded corners as shown in Figs. 2 and l1 to 13, or itmay be round or polygonal or of other suitable shape, the inletsandoutlets referred to being offset as clearly appears from Figs. 3, 4,5, and 6.

The conductors 8 from the magneto (see Fig. 6) are individuallyinsulated each being covered with the insulation 9, or the conductorsmight be mounted and insulated as hereinafter described in connectionwith the manifold or they might have segmental insulators or beadsthreaded on them and the spaces filled with a plastic insulatingcompound as hereinafter referred to. These insulated conductors areincluded within a metal conduit i0 connecting with the radio shield ormetal casing about the magneto and having an end secured in the metalplate il secured to the metal casing l2 of the inlet 2 `by means of ascrew collar I3.

The conductors 8 extend within the inlet and Bossu-i5 APR 22 i941section of a lead havoil and 1/3 mica, the rubber where added displacinga proportionate amount of the polymerized oil.

The rubber may be ground and mixed with the castor oil and insulatingmaterial, such as mica, etc., and then the mixture heated until the oilpolymerizes. The ground rubber may also be mixed with the castor oilafter the last has been polymerized and the mixture then heated. Alsothe rubber may be liquefied or dissolved in the hot polymerized oil andthe mixturethen mixed, While hot, with the comminuted mica.

In making use of the plastic compound in connection with the ignitionconductors, casings, and conduits, as above referred to, the manifold isprovided with an inlet nipple 3| having a check valve preventing theexit of the compound after it has been forced in, to which may beapplied an instrument similar to an air pump or grease gun for forcingin the compound. The plastic insulating and dielectric composition asreferred to may thus be forced into the manifold spaces aboutl theconductors and supports, also passing through the openings from themanifold. into the spark plug leads, whereby the spaces in such leadsabout the conductors and insulating beads thereon will be filled withthe composition.

The Wedges or strips I5 are divided into longitudinally distributedsections with clearances between the sections so that the compound canreadily percolate to all spaces within the manifold.

To facilitate the filling of the ignition leads with the compound,openings 32 and 33 (see Fig. 9) of the leads will be provided in thecouplings at the ends of the leads, through which the compound may beforced in at each end of the lead.

The opening 32 is controlled by a ring 34, rotatable upon the couplingand having a hold adapted to be moved into and out of registry with thehole 32. When in such registry communication is afforded with theinterior by which the compound may be forced into the lead by anysuitable means, and after such operation has been completed the openingmay be closed by rotating the ring 3l until the hole in it is out ofregistry with the hole 32 in the coupling, and thus communication withthe exterior is shut off.

Similarly, the opening 33 is controlled by al rotatable ring 35 having ahold 38 adapted to be moved into and out of registry with the hole 33vas the ring is rotated. 1

In applying the plastic composition to the apparatus described, theapparatus is first thoroughly dried, the openings 32 and 33 in each ofthe leads being open, so as to remove all traces of moisture, theapparatus being heated to about F. The. apparatus is then placed in avacuum tank or container with` the vent openings in the leads stillopen, which will operate to exhaust all air from the interior of themanifold and conduits so that the plastic composition when forced inunder pressure will enter all spaces therein and the formation ofbubbles will be avoided. While in this condition the composiu tion isforced under pressure into the manifold and spark plug lead conduits,entirely and completely filling the same and a solid, compact mass issecured throughout.

In order to avoid possible corrosive action of the compound ontheconduits containing it,v

they should be constructed so as to present noncorrosive surfaces to thecompound. This may be accomplished by tinning their interiors, that iscoating them witlrtin or in other suitable ways. In the case oi' thestrip formed tube 24, the tube might be formed from a tin or othersuitably plated strip.

It will be observed that the conductors are entirely enclosed in metal,radio shielding casings or conduits whereby interference withneighboring radio apparatus by the ignition cur rents in the conductorsis avoided.

In Fig. 10 is shown a modified construction wherein the. beads 31consist of cylinders telescoping with each other to a greater or lesserextent7 and with suitable clearances to permit flexing, instead of theform of beads 30 as previously referred to.

In Fig. 1`1.is shown a modified form of insulating support for theconductors within the mani fold. In this structure as illustrated inFig. il, the molded insulating support of Bakelite or other suitableinsulating material, within the metal casing l' of the manifold consistsof the central section 38, having grooves within which the conductors 8are located and having its pointed ends bearing against the manifoldcasing i. At the sides of the section 38 are the sections 39 and 40,which are similar to each other and have projections entering thegrooves in the section 33 and hold the conductors in place, the sections39 and I0 respectively having the projections il and 42 bearing againstthe casing i so that the conductors are securely' insulated and firmlyheld in position.

In the modification shown in Fig. l2, the molded bakelite support 4,3for the conductors 3"' within the manifold metal casing i", as will beseen from the figure, comprises a central portion having its endsbearingagainst the casing i" and lateral projections 44 bearing againstthe casing, the whole being arranged to provide grooves within which theconductors 8 are located.

In the modification shown in Fig. 13, the construction is similar tothat of Fig. 12 except that the central portion I5 of the bakelitesupport for the conductors' is broader and the lateral pro jections 46are shorter, but otherwise the structure is similar to that shown inFig. 12.

While the invention has been illustrated in what are considered its bestapplications, it may have other embodiments without departing from itsspirit, and is not, therefore, limited to the structure shown in thedrawings.

What we claim is:

1. In a radio-shielded ignition system, the combination with aradio-shielding manifold of radio-shielding spark plug leads extendingtherefrom. conductors in said manifold and leads, said manifold beingarc-shaped. and a relatively rigid arc-shaped insulating support for theconductors within the manifold, the longitudinal axis of'said supportbeing curvedY in substantial accordance with the longitudinal curvatureof said manifold.

2. In a radio-shielded ignition system, the combination Iwith aradio-shielding manifold of radioshielding spark plug leads extendingtherefrom, conductors in said manifold andleads, said manifold ybeingarc-shaped, and a relatively rigid arc-shaped insulating support for theconductors within the manifold, the longitudinal axis of said supportbeing curved and substantially conforming to the longitudinal curvatureof said manifold and a plastic insulating and dielectric compoundradio-shlelding spark plug leads extending there- 75

